August 25th

Today was our local town’s horticultural show. Until this year I never it existed. I’d no idea horticultural shows were a thing.

They are a thing and in certain circles they are a Big Thing. Dad’s friend Tommy, the retired seaman from the allotments, showed me around the community hall and filled me in on the gossip.

“That’s Mrs. Murphy,” he said, nodding towards a woman dwarfed by a huge floral display she was carefully positioning on a trestle table. “She has won the flower arranging for the last ten years. Her sister comes second every year. You’d think she’d ease up one year to give her a chance, but no.”

We passed another table...

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